Page 18 of Sugar Plum Fae

Chapter Six

Candace

Exhaustion weighed down on Candace like a leaden blanket. Sleep had been elusive all night. Her heart ached as she thought of Roderick—that infuriating, sneaky man who was now the center of her world. That scoundrel had been sabotaging the townspeople’s wishes, twisting them in cruel ways. And now they were suffering, all because she'd been foolish enough to let her guard down.

Roderick leaned casually against the well, inspecting his nails. "You look dreadful," he drawled.

Candace bristled. "You cheated.”

“No, I didn’t.” He gestured to the hash marks. He had almost double the number that she did. “I don’t need to.”

“You’re punishing them because they wished for their heart’s desire.”

"I opened their eyes to new possibilities." Roderick flicked a speck of dirt from under his nail. "The world isn't all sunshine and roses, sunshine. Best they learn that now."

“You've been twisting their desires, Roderick. Spoiling them."

"I gave them depth, reality. Not just airy-fairy dreams."

"Airy-fairy? And what would you know about sweet dreams?"

"More than you know about the shadows that shape them," he retorted, pushing off the well with a casual grace.

Her frown deepened, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "So now we're shaping shadows? Is that the latest euphemism for meddling?"

"Meddling is such an ugly word." He tilted his head, considering. "I prefer... guiding."

"You can't just—"

"Can't just what?" His cool gaze met hers. "Offer a counterbalance to your sugary sweetness?"

"Sweetness that people need." She gestured broadly, encompassing the quiet town they both vied to influence. "You could learn something from it."

"I don’t like things too sweet."

"Better than bitter," she shot back.

The moment stretched, taut and charged, before the distant sound of footsteps signaled the arrival of the day's first supplicants. Candace turned away, breaking the tension between them.

"I'm preparing them." Roderick stepped closer. "This world is harsh; even you must see that."

Candace faltered, hating the way his words made sense. She wanted him to be the villain in this story so badly, but deep down, she knew he wasn't. He cared about the townspeople of Whitlock just as much as she did... only in a different way.

"Ugh, you're insufferable," she muttered. But as much as she wanted to deny it, there was a small part of her that understood where he was coming from. Life couldn't be all sugar and light. There had to be some balance.

"Likewise," Roderick said with a sly grin. "But I think that's what makes us such an interesting pair, don't you?"

"Let's just get on with granting these wishes," she grumbled.

"Your wish is my command.”

It was a busier day today. Candace caught up with Roderick and was even in the lead for a short amount of time. But by the time the supplicants had all their wishes granted, Roderick was again ahead—even if it was only by two hash marks.

“Another day’s victory,” he said, hiding a yawn behind his hand.

“I’m exhausted,” Candace said. “Maybe it’s time for another ground rule or two.”

“I’m listening.”